Chilling with Charlie over an Art Feast

CEBU, Philippines - Charlie  Co  is bobbing his head. While the music is upbeat, the summer night is sticky, so the best way to cool down all the dance moves induced by the rockin’ band is an ice cold bottle of beer (or more).

We are at an aircon-less bar in the Art District, Bacolod City’s magnet for the young and the artsy (not necessariily rolled into one package), and a band is twanging and banging away.    It is hard to believe that  Charlie  Co, who is arguably the most famous artist in the city, is right here, right now, in this dim, noisy, smoky joint.

You would have thought, considering his unflagging mentoring of young, hopeful artists, running the Orange Gallery, joining art fairs in Manila and elsewhere, plus creating his own art and adding to an already sizeable ouevre, that  Charlie’s hands are completely full and that he would not in the least have time to chill. Yet here  Charlie  is, enjoying bonding time with a gaggle of the up and coming artists from Bacolod, obviously relaxed and in a mellow mood.   Where does  Charlie  find the time to do all these?

Well, good thing one major project is out of the way: his new abode in Northpoint, right behind the the spanking new mall opened by the Ayalas called The District.   In fact,  Charlie’s nest is so near The District that malling is just a skip and a hop away for the prolific artist.   This pet project was many months in the making, and after focusing on building his new residence cum artist’s studio,  Charlie  is now taking a breather, enjoying the downtime and relaxing.

Yes,  Charlie  Co’s art altar is finally done, and this writer was privileged enough to have been invited in by the famed artist, there to ogle and drool over the vast art collection housed in his crib.   No, it’s not just his own art that are featured here, there are works both by noted artists and sculptors, as well as by  Charlie’s own wards like Junjun Montelibano.

As one approaches the modern structure, the first thing the eye chances upon are the big Pinocchio-like sculptures guarding the main gate.   These are part of the same family of life size figures that  Charlie  has shown in the cavernous lobby slash atrium of the Philippine Stock Exchange (where they gave many a harassed corporate slave a heart burn for reminding them of their chains)   and the lobby of Deutsche Bank as well, and their presence at the entrance is like a huge neon sign announcing: Artist in Residence, Right Here!

That welcome sign being duly appreciated, it was time to enter the glass, concrete and wood-based home.   Anne,  Charlie’s youthful wife, graciously welcomes this writer, and heads off the curious canine companions that come sniffing at the stranger.   Dog drool was far from the mind though, as the receiving area transformed into a huge open plan living room that showcased art work upon amazing art work.

To the left of the entrance is a flight of polished wooden stairs that lead to an upper deck.   This is the holy grail, for it is here that  Charlie  creates those wondrous canvasses that fetch ridiculous prices at Hong Kong auctions.   Finished and unfinished works line the walls and are propped upon easels, paintbrushes and various gewgaws are scattered, and over by one wall is a spectacular mural that was inspired by the Great Wall of China.

This other Great Wall contains many references to Chinese culture, politics (Tiannanmen square) and even personal mementoes.   Charlie  himself is drawn into the picture, together with Anne.   This writer knows enough not to ask about the potential price for this gigantic work, which seems even bigger than the  Co  mural installed in the city’s Silay airport.   Charlie  muses that this is a statement on Chinese progress, and the sacrifices made in order to arrive at where China is now.   Interspersed with the imagery are his personal impressions of modernizing Beijing during his visit to the city.

There are more life-sized figurines scattered around the room, and over by one corner, in an homage to another artist, is found a scarlet Kenneth Cobonpue dragnet chair.   A dummy with a recurring bull’s eye theme is juxtaposed against it.   One figure has been bequeathed a cell phone, while another one has been given spectacles.   The tableau is amusing, and grants the open plan space a cheerful air.   Not exactly the starving, tortured artist cliche we have come to expect, but more like a fun factory where visions are brushed and stroked into reality.

A huge head with spokey hair springing out from either side can be spied in another corner, and  Charlie  explains this was one of the limited edition sculptural pieces that had been created as a tribute to Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei.   Some of the heads had been displayed in the Contemporary Art Fair early this year, but since not all heads were identical,  Charlie  still had to individually bespoke a certain number.

Of course, there were the canvasses.   Stacks upon stacks of them, some of them created decades ago, the others with paint still fresh upon their faces.   The themes are varied, some creepy, some cheery, and some quite complex.   All of them attest to the fecundity of this celebrated artist, and the depths of his imagination.

Charlie  points   to one that is situated by a corner, and confides that this was a self portrait done when he was in his youth.   Another self portrait in brighter hues hangs in another wall, and the differences in the two portraits are immediately evident.   Aside from the age of the subject, the choice of colors and composition distinguish one from the other.   They could serve as signposts to the development of his artistry, his evolution from a young man determined to succeed, to the successful man and mentor at his apex, already savoring the fruits of his hard labor and yet still creating with joie de vivre.

The veritable visual feast that is served in  Charlie  Co’s residence is a delicious highlight to this trip to Bacolod City, and one comes away with reluctance, as well as a wish: that  Charlie  doesn’t take too much time to chill, as there are multitudes of blank canvasses awaiting his attention. (FREEMAN)